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Abstract:

Disclosed is an apparatus for providing packaging material, comprising a
shaping device (25) that has a couple of motor-driven molding wheels or
rolls, a housing support (15) with an interior, an inlet via which
packaging material can be fed into the interior, and an outlet via which
packaging material can be discharged from the interior in which the
molding wheels are arranged. The molding wheels are rotatably mounted on
the housing support and each define an axis of rotation. A continuous
penetration shaft (23), the longitudinal direction of which extends
substantially parallel to the two axes of rotation of the molding wheels,
from the interior to the exterior of the housing support, is formed
withing the housing support, said penetration shaft (23) being open
towards the interior and towards an exterior of the housing support.

Claims:

1. An apparatus providing packaging material, comprising: a reshaping
device including a pair of motor driven forming wheels, a housing support
having a tunnel-shaped internal space, an input opening via which
packaging material can enter the internal space, an output opening via
which packaging material can leave the internal space in which the fuming
wheels are disposed, wherein the forming wheels are rotatably mounted at
the housing support and respectively define an axis of rotation, said
housing support further including an uninterrupted access passage being
open towards the internal space and open towards an outside of the
housing support, the longitudinal direction of the access passage being
essentially parallel to said rotational axes of the forming wheels and
extending from the internal space to the outside of the housing support.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which said forming wheels define a
reshaping zone at which the forming wheels deform and drive the packaging
material, wherein said reshaping zone is disposed inside the internal
space of the housing support.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which both said forming wheels are
disposed in a common plane to which a longitudinal extension of the
access passage is perpendicular.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which said access passage is arranged
with respect to the forming wheels in such a way that for a visual
projection of the smallest clear width of the access passage in its
longitudinal direction onto a common plane of the two forming wheels,
sections of the forming wheels facing each other upstream of the
reshaping zone, are, in equal proportions, inside of boundaries of the
projection.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which said housing support is held by a
vertical support column pivotable around a horizontal pivoting axis.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which a straight transport path is
defined between the input opening and the output opening through said
housing support and that, for horizontal positioning of said housing
support, the transport path and the forming wheels are disposed in a
common, horizontal plane.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which a distance between the one
forming wheel and the outside of the housing support through the access
passage is essentially equal to a distance between the other forming
wheel and the outside of the housing support through the access passage.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which said access passage is
dimensioned such that manual access to both forming wheels by an
operating person is possible through the access passage.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which said access passage presents an
opening towards the outside that is generally rectangular in cross
section, wherein the corners of the opening are rounded.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which said access passage presents an
opening towards the internal space, said opening being generally
rectangular in cross section and having rounded corners, wherein the
opening towards the outside is aligned with the opening towards the
internal space.

11. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which a clear width of the access
passage is uniform in its longitudinal direction.

12. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which said access passage is delimited
by an internal wall that corresponds to an internal wall of a uniform
tube profile.

13. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which said access passage is closed by
a stopper, an inner side of which, facing the internal space, forms an
uninterrupted continuation of the internal profile of the adjacent inner
wall area of an internal wall structure delimiting the internal space.

14. An apparatus as in claim 13, in which said stopper presents a side
facing away from the internal wall, which side comprises a handle for
pulling the stopper out of the access passage and is adapted in
particular to the outer profile of the outside of said housing support.

15. An apparatus as in claim 13, including a mechanism latching the
stopper into a predetermined closed position for closing the access
passage, the mechanism providing a latching signal to a person operating
the stopper upon adopting the predetermined closed position.

16. An apparatus as in claim 15, including means for deactivating a motor
drive driving the forming wheel, wherein said means is activated in order
to deactivate the motor drive when the stopper is not in a predetermined
closed position for closing the access passage.

17. An apparatus as in claim 16, in which electrical power to said motor
drive is interrupted when said means for deactivating is activated.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17, in which said means for deactivating
comprises a contact switch.

19. An apparatus as in claim 16, comprising an electric line disposed at
the stopper that provides an electrical interconnection between two
terminals when the stopper is in its predetermined closed position within
the access passage.

Description:

[0001] The invention relates to a means for providing packaging material
comprising a moveable reshaping device presenting a pair of motor driven
forming wheels or forming rollers, and a stationary housing support at
which the reshaping device is held and mounted.

[0002] Such a means, in the following referred to as packaging means, is
known from DE 10 2005 053 319 A1. This proven packaging means has a
packaging material reservoir upstream of the housing support, in which
reservoir a packaging reel, such as a paper reel, is inserted that is
reeled off from the inside, which enables faster withdrawal of the paper
web without larger force requirement for the reshaping device. The
packaging material reservoir is connected to a housing support featuring
a feeder funnel and a mounting structure in which a tunnel-shaped and/or
canal-shaped internal space is provided for lodging the forming wheels.
the internal space is limited by a partially symmetrical and/or cone
shaped internal wall structure of the housing support and defines an
output opening as well as an input opening. Via the output opening
reshaped packaging material can leave the internal space.

[0003] Each forming wheel is rotatably mounted, wherein a rotational axis
is defined for each forming wheel, the rotational axes being parallel to
each other. The forming wheels define a deformation zone where the
packaging material is deformed through rolling engagement of the forming
wheels and in particular is thereby driven for the transport through the
housing support.

[0004] It is an object of the invention to improve the known means for
providing packaging material such that a packaging material jam, having
possibly occurred owing to a discontinuity in consistency of the
packaging material, can easily be remedied.

[0005] This object is achieved by the features of claim 1.

[0006] Accordingly, an uninterrupted access passage is formed in the
housing support, open towards the internal space and open towards an
outside of the housing support, the longitudinal direction of the access
passage being essentially parallel to the two rotational axes of the
forming wheels and extending from the internal space to the outside of
the housing support. The longitudinal direction can be defined by a
straight middle axis of the access passage, wherein an uninterrupted
delimiting wall of the access passage may well be inclined with respect
to the middle axis. According to the invention, a clear width of the
access passage at the outside opening shall coincide with a clear width
of the inside opening such that manual access to both forming wheels is
possible. Preferably the uninterrupted delimiting wall of the access
passage extends straight and in parallel to its middle axis.

[0007] The outside of the housing support can also form the uncovered
external surface of the housing of the packaging means, to which the
access passage leads up.

[0008] The access passage has a maximum width that is smaller than the
maximum diameter of one forming wheel of the reshaping device.

[0009] The internal space of the housing support is formed in a tunnel
shape and has an input opening via which the packaging material is pulled
into the internal space, and an output opening via which the reshaped
packaging material is dispensed out of the internal space of the housing
support. For delimiting the internal space the housing support has
partially cylindrical and/or partially cone shaped wall sections forming
a radially circumferential, closed wall structure that is closed with the
exception of the input opening, the output opening and the lateral
opening into which the access passage leads up from the outside of the
packaging means.

[0010] Besides forming a mounting structure for the forming wheels, the
housing support serves the purpose of carrying an outer housing or outer
covers for protection and/or for creation of a design of the packaging
means, wherein the access passage extends up to the free outside of the
outer housing.

[0011] Thus, the access passage according to the invention extends from
the outside of the packaging means to the tunnel-shaped internal wall
structure delimiting the internal space of the housing support, wherein
in particular the access passage over its essentially straight course is
delimited by a tube-shaped wall that, at the outside, can in particular
continuously merge into the outer face of the packaging means and, at the
inside, can continuously merge into the tunnel-shaped internal wall
structure.

[0012] According to the invention it is possible to act on both forming
wheels by means of a simple manual access with one hand and to possibly
remedy a packaging material jam in the area of the reshaping zone of the
forming wheels. Tests by the applicant have shown that the most frequent
cause of a packaging jam is located in the reshaping zone, where the
largest operating forces within the packaging device are transmitted to
the packaging material, such as a paper web reeled off the inside of a
reel.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment the forming wheels define a deformation
zone at their area of engagement disposed inside of the tunnel-shaped
internal space of the housing support. In the deformation zone the
forming wheels deform and in particular drive the packaging material, in
order to transport it through the internal space of the housing support.
Either the forming wheels are completely disposed inside the internal
space of the housing support, in particular by means of a respective
recess, or they extend partially out of the housing support via
respective open slots having a complementary shape. In the latter case,
besides the input opening, the output opening and possible slots, the
housing support will have a lateral opening the access passage leads up
to.

[0014] With the measure according to the invention of arranging the
essentially straight access passage in parallel to the rotational axes of
the forming wheels it is made easier for an operating person to remedy a
possibly occurring packaging material jam simultaneously at both forming
wheels. Additionally, the relative arrangement of the access passage to
the forming wheels according to the invention enables direct access to
the deformation zone, where the forming wheels in fact form and in
particular drive the packaging material. It is to be understood that the
reshaping device shall be the only driving means providing forward
propulsion of the packaging material of the means according to the
invention.

[0015] In a further development of the invention the forming wheels are
disposed in a plain to which the longitudinal extension of the access
passage is perpendicular.

[0016] In a further development of the invention the access passage is
arranged with respect to the forming wheels such that for a visual
projection of the smallest clear width of the access passage in its
longitudinal direction onto a common plain of the two forming wheels,
sections of the forming wheels facing each other, in particular upstream
of the reshaping zone, are, in particular in equal proportions, inside of
boundaries of the projection.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the packaging means is
in particular held at an essentially vertical support column pivotable
around a horizontal pivoting axis. In this way the output opening of the
packaging means can be held in different positions relative to a
transport box, in particular at different inclinations with respect to
the horizontal, in order to introduce the packaging material into the
transport box in a targeted manner.

[0018] Preferably an in particular straight transport path is defined
between the input opening and the output opening through the housing
support. The transport path can be delimited mainly by an internal wall
of the housing support continuously extending from the input opening to
the output opening without the necessity of an additional moveable
guiding device for the packaging material within the housing support. The
transport path defines a straight transport axis through the housing
support that is in particular concentrically or centrally surrounded by
an internal wall. The access passage is disposed essentially at the axial
position of the reshaping device within the axial course of the transport
axis. In case of a horizontal positioning of the transport path by means
of respective adjustment of the fixation of the packaging means at the
support column, the forming wheels can be disposed in a common horizontal
plain. Preferably the access passage is disposed above the common
horizontal plain so that vertical access to the forming wheels from above
through the access passage is enabled. In this way handling the packaging
means during manual access to the forming wheels through the access
passage can be ergonomically facilitated.

[0019] Preferably a distance between one forming wheel and the outside of
the housing support measured through the access passage is essentially
equal to a distance between the other forming wheel and the outside of
the housing support through the access passage.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the access passage is
dimensioned such that manual access to both forming wheels by an
operating person is possible through the access passage. Therein the
maximum diameter of the access passage at the outside of the housing
support, at the inside of the housing support and in longitudinal
direction of the access passage can be 8 to 16 cm, preferably about 12
cm.

[0021] In a further development of the invention the access passage
presents an opening towards the outside that is essentially rectangular,
in particular with respect to its cross section. It shall be understood
that the opening can also have other forms of cross section, such as a
circular shape. In case of a rectangular cross section the corners are
rounded in particular.

[0022] The access passage can also present an essentially rectangular
opening, in particular with respect to its cross section, towards the
internal space, wherein also different forms of cross section, such as a
circular shape, can be considered. It is to be understood that the
corners of a rectangular cross section are rounded in particular.

[0023] Preferably the shape of the cross section of the access passage
does not change along the access passage.

[0024] In a further development of the invention the delimiting edge of
the opening towards the outside is aligned with the delimiting edge of
the opening towards the inside of the access passage.

[0025] Preferably the clear width of the access passage is constant and
unchanged in its longitudinal direction.

[0026] The access passage can be delimited by an internal wall that
corresponds to an internal wall of a uniform tube profile with an
essentially constant internal circumference along the access passage.

[0027] In a preferred development of the invention the access passage is
closed by a bung, the inside of which, facing the internal wall, forms a
continuation in shape of the adjacent internal wall sections for creating
a continuous, in particular, essentially uninterrupted internal wall
structure of the internal space of the housing support. If, for example,
the opening of the access passage facing the internal space extends into
the area of a feeder funnel of the housing support with a cone-shaped
internal wall, it is to be understood that the inner side of the bung is
adapted to the cone shape of the internal wall of the feeder funnel. If
the opening facing the internal space is disposed at a cylindrical
internal wall section of the housing support, the respective section of
the inner side of the bung is designed correspondingly partially
cylindrical. The uniform, smooth design of the internal wall of the
housing support is relevant in so far as profile discontinuities at the
internal wall shall be excluded in order to minimise friction of the
packaging material inside the housing support and thereby avoid a
packaging material jam. In this way transport speeds of the packaging
material through the packaging means of up to 100 m/min can be achieved.

[0028] The access passage represents a short access connection from the
outside of the housing of the packaging means towards the tunnel-shaped
internal space delimited by the internal wall structure of the housing
support, through which the packaging material is transported. The bung
represents a continuation in shape of the outside of the housing of the
packaging means as well as of the inner wall face of the tunnel-shaped
internal wall structure of the housing support.

[0029] In a further development of the invention the bung has a side
facing away from the internal wall, which side comprises a handle for
pulling the bung out of the access passage and is adapted in particular
to the shape of the outside of the means. The bung is in the
predetermined closed position when its internal side shuts off the
opening of the access passage towards the internal space in a
form-continuing manner. Upon adopting the predetermined closed position
the latching mechanism shall provide a haptic latching signal to a person
operating the bung so that the operating person recognises that the
correct end position of the bung is reached. The latching mechanism may
have an abutment function designed to avoid insertion of the bung beyond
the opening of the access passage towards the internal space.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the invention a device is provided for
deactivating a motor driving the forming wheel, wherein the device is
then activated in order to deactivate the motor drive when the bung is
not in a predetermined closed position for closing the access passage.
Preferably a power supply is cut towards the motor drive upon activation
of the device to ensure that the forming wheels cannot he driven even for
a correspondingly operated speed controller.

[0031] In a further development of the invention the deactivation device
can consist of a contact switch that, for an activated state, is switched
such that a power supply to the motor drive is cut, wherein in the
passive state the contact switch adopts a switch position in which power
supply to the motor drive is possible.

[0032] Alternatively the deactivation device can present an electric line
disposed at the bung that connects as an electric bridge two otherwise
insulated connections in the area of the access passage then when the
bung is in its predetermined closed position within the access passage.

[0033] The motor drive deactivation device according to the invention
ensures that in the open state of the access passage an operating person
can readily act manually on the forming wheels without encountering the
danger that the forming wheels are driven by the motor. In this way,
danger of injury is excluded then when the operating person intends to
remove a packaging material jam at the forming wheel via the access
passage.

[0034] The packaging means according to the invention enables to transport
the packaging material web through the packaging means with a speed of up
to 100 m/min.

[0035] Further characteristics, advantages and features of the invention
become apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment of
the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing:

[0036] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a means for providing packaging
material according to the invention;

[0037] FIG. 2 a cross sectional view of the means for providing packaging
material according to FIG. 1 along the section line II-II according to
FIG. 3;

[0038] FIG. 3 a cross sectional view of the means for providing packaging
material along the section lines III-III according to FIG. 2;

[0039] FIG. 4 a perspective view of the means for providing packaging
material according to FIGS. 1 to 3 without decorative housing shells;

[0040] FIG. 5 a frontal view of the output side of the means for providing
packaging material according to the FIGS. 1 to 4;

[0041] FIG. 6 a frontal view of the packaging material input side of the
means for providing packaging material according to FIGS. 1 to 5;

[0042] FIG. 7 a frontal view of the packaging material input side of the
device for providing packaging material according to FIGS. 1 to 6 without
packaging material receiving organ;

[0043] FIG. 8 an enlarged perspective view of the housing support
according to the invention with a closure bung disposed in the access
passage;

[0044] FIG. 9 a perspective view of an upper housing shell forming the
access passage of the housing support without closure bung;

[0045] FIG. 10 an exterior side view of the housing half shell according
to FIG. 9 in longitudinal direction of the access passage with forming
wheels being mounted;

[0046] FIG. 11 an internal side view of the housing half shell according
to FIG. 10 with closed access passage;

[0047] FIG. 12 a perspective view from the inside of the access passage of
a closure bung for closing the access passage; and

[0048] FIG. 13 a perspective view of the closure bung according to FIG. 12
from its outside.

[0049] In FIGS. 1 to 7 the means for providing packaging material
according to the invention is generally given the reference numeral 1. In
the following, the means is referred to as packaging means 1.

[0050] The packaging means 1 comprises as main components a packaging
material receiving organ 3 and a reshaping section 5 attached thereto
covered by two outer housing shells 7, 9. A control panel 11 with
respective operating controls and knobs is provided at the outside of the
reshaping section 5.

[0051] An output opening 13 is delimited among others by recesses in the
front side of the outer housing shells 7, 9.

[0052] The packaging material receiving organ 3 consists of a metal
cylinder 14 connected by a form fit with a housing support 15 of the
reshaping section 5 disposed inside the outer housing shells 7, 9 and
closed by a closure cap 17 at its side facing away from the output
opening 13. A viewing slot 19 extends in the metal cylinder 14 in axial
direction A corresponding essentially to the transport direction F. The
viewing slot 19 shall indicate to an operating person by how much the
packaging material disposed inside the packaging material receiving organ
3 is already used like a paper web being reeled off the inside of a paper
reel.

[0053] A mechanism 37 for opening the closure cap 17 is stowed in a
compartment 39 separate from the metal cylinder 14 at its lower side. The
opening mechanism 37 allows pivoting of the closure cap 17, wherein the
pivoting axis S is disposed parallel to the axial direction A of the
packaging means 1 and associated with the transport direction F. in
addition, the mechanism 37 has a safety device preventing driving the
motorised reshaping device 25 in case that the closure cap 17 is not
located in the closure position on the metal cylinder 14 as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0054] At the reshaping section 5, a closure bung 21 inserted in an access
passage 23 formed into the housing support 15 is operable from the
outside for its removable. Via the access passage, a manual access onto
the motor driven reshaping device 25 is easily possible. The reshaping
section 25 is meant to deform the packaging material for creation of a
certain filler material. To this end, the reshaping device has a pair of
rotatably mounted toothed forming wheels each of which defining an axis
of rotation D, E.

[0055] The toothed forming wheel is driven by an electric motor 27 of the
reshaping device 21 held on a side of the housing support 15 opposite the
access passage 23. A control circuitry 29 is attached to the housing
support 15 within the housing shells 7, 9.

[0056] At its lower side, the packaging means 1 comprises a support flange
31 that is fixed to the packaging material receiving organ 3 and via
which the packaging means 1 can be attached to a vertical supporting
column not shown in detail. By means of an adjustment mechanism 32 that
can be designed as an arrangement of a bolt and a group of holes the
packaging means 1 can be brought into different pivoting positions
relative to the stationary vertical support column and to the horizontal
direction in order to facilitate for an operating person directing the
packaging material onto a desired location.

[0057] For the operation, firstly the packaging material receiving organ
is loaded with a reel of rolled-up material web (not represented). The
material web reel is reeled off from its inside as in the generic
packaging means of above-cited DE 10 2005 053 319 A1. The inside end of
the material web reel is led to a feeder funnel 33 of the housing support
15 via the packaging material receiving organ 3. Transport of the
packaging material towards the reshaping device 25 is defined by the
cone-shaped internal wall of the feeder funnel 33, and the packaging
material is fed towards the toothed forming wheel of the reshaping device
25. The motor driven toothed forming wheels seize the packaging material
and deform it such that the desired filler material is formed. The filler
material reaches the dispenser orifice 35 of the housing support 15 which
defines the output opening 13 of the housing support 15.

[0058] The velocity with which the formed filler material leaves the
output opening can be adjusted by the operating person via the operating
panel 11 connected to the control circuitry 29.

[0059] In the output opening 13, a protective cap 73 is inserted via a
bayonet joint or inserted in a snapping manner into a groove of the
internal wall of the output opening or screwed onto the internal wall.

[0060] Downstream of the inserting position of the protective cap 73 a
group of teeth 75 is provided at sections of the circumference in order
to facilitate tearing off the reshaped packaging material.

[0061] In the following, the housing support 15 according to the invention
is described in detail because the measure of forming the access passage
23 is realised at the housing support 15. As it can be seen in FIGS. 8 to
13 among other things, the upper half shell of the housing of the housing
support 15 forming the access passage 23 is a plastic part, injection
moulded in one piece, which reduces significantly the manufacturing costs
for the housing support 15 according to the invention.

[0062] The access passage 23 is essentially radially centred and extends
perpendicular to the transport direction axis and towards the transport
path and is disposed parallel to the axes of rotation D, E of the toothed
forming wheels of the reshaping device 25. If the packaging means 1 is
oriented such that its internal transport path is horizontal, then the
access passage 23 extends to the transport path in vertical direction.

[0063] In FIG. 8 it can be seen that the access passage 23 is closed by
the closure bung 21, wherein at the outside a gripping protrusion 53 is
provided at which an operating person can seize the closure bung 21 that
is complementary in shape at the inside and at the outside.

[0064] The upper half shell 51 of the housing comprises a feeder funnel 55
having a cone-shaped internal wall 57 and being directed towards the
packaging material reservoir. The access passage 23 leads up to an
internal space of the housing support 15 for example in the area of the
feeder funnel 55. A transition 61 is connected to the feeder funnel 55
the transition presenting a cylindrical internal wall, starting from
which the internal wall is narrowing in transport direction. The narrowed
section of the internal wall is to be associated with a mounting
structure 65 presenting two recesses 67, 69 for receiving the toothed
forming wheels of the reshaping device, as shown in FIG. 11.

[0065] Continuing from the mounting structure 65, a transition 61 connects
to the latter having a rectangular internal wall with rounded corners
from which a circular cylindrical dispenser orifice 71 develops, at which
a protective cap 73 is disposed in order to prevent manual access into
the internal space of the housing support 15.

[0066] At the output opening 13 of the housing support 15 teeth-like
protrusions 75 are provided facilitating tearing off the packaging
material at the output opening 13.

[0067] As evident from FIGS. 9 and 11, the access passage 23 extends to
the transition 61 and partially into the mounting structure 65 and thus
also its opening 77 towards the internal space is disposed in the
transition 61 and partially in the mounting structure 65.

[0068] The access passage 23 has a constant rectangular cross section in
its longitudinal direction, as evident from FIG. 10, the corners having
large roundings.

[0069] An internal wall 79 of the access passage 23 has a uniform tubular
internal profile, wherein a straight guiding groove 81, 83 is provided at
each lateral and longitudinal side of the internal wall 79, which grooves
enable a secure guiding of the closure bung 21 inside the access passage
23. The guiding grooves 81, 83 can be designed different from each other
in such a way that merely one single position of the closure bung 21 is
permitted inside the access passage 23, so that a misorientation of the
closure bung 21 cannot occur during its fitting.

[0070] A contact switch 87 can be provided inside the guiding groove 81 at
the end section towards the internal space, the switch being activated as
soon as the closure bung 21 is inserted into the predetermined closure
position shown in FIGS. 8 and 11.

[0071] The guiding grooves 81, 83 cooperate with respectively straight
longitudinal protrusions 91, 93 at the closure bung 21, the protrusions
being received in the respective guiding grooves 81, 83.

[0072] As shown in particular in FIGS. 12 and 13, the longitudinal
protrusions 91, 93 slightly broaden from an inside 95 of the closure bung
21 towards its outside 97 in order to provide a stable closure position
of the closure bung 21.

[0073] Furthermore, a latching mechanism 99 can be provided at the
longitudinal protrusion 91, 93, the latching mechanism transmitting a
haptic latching signal to a person operating the closure bung 21 as soon
as the closure bung 21 is disposed in the correct closure position and
the latching mechanism 99 is actuated.

[0074] A correct closure position is present then when the inner side 95
is inserted into the access passage 23 to form a continuous stepless
internal wall shape of the housing support 15 as shown in FIG. 11. The
inner side 95 of the closure bung 21 has a partially cylindrical section
for closing the opening 77 of the access passage 23 towards the internal
space in the area of the transition 61, as well as a partially
cone-shaped section for closing the area of the opening 77 facing the
internal space in the area of the feeder funnel and of the mounting
structure, respectively.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 12, the outer rim 101 of the internal side 95 of
the closure bung 21 is provided with a step shape 103 that cooperates
abuttingly with a complementarily shaped step in the area of the access
passage 23 so that the closure bung 21 cannot be inserted into the
internal space of the housing support 15 beyond the correct closure
position.

[0076] As recognisable in FIGS. 10 and 11, owing to the access passage 23,
an operating person can readily access both toothed forming wheels of the
reshaping device 25, in particular also the transport path area upstream
of a reshaping zone formed by the engagement of the toothed forming
wheels. A packaging material jam that, based on investigations by the
applicant, can particularly occur upstream of the reshaping zone, can be
remedied easily owing to the possibility of access through the access
passage 23.

[0077] In order to minimise the danger of injury to an operating person in
that in the open state of the access passage 23 the toothed forming
wheels can under no circumstances be operated, it is ensured that an
electric power supply to the electric motor driving the toothed forming
wheels is cut if the closure bung 21 is not in the closure position shown
in figure

[0078] The features disclosed in the above description, the figures and
the claims may be relevant for the realisation of the invention in its
different embodiments individually as well as in any combination.